Paying for College
Paying for College
Planning how to pay for college can be overwhelming!
It is never to early to think about how you are going to pay for your post-secondary education! While you can apply for some scholarships as a Freshman (or sooner!) the "hot" time for applying is the Spring of your Junior Year, the Summer between Junior and Senior Year, and throughout your Senior Year. Deadlines and requirements vary for all financial aid, but here are some ways you can get started.
What is Financial Aid?
Financial aid is money to help pay for college or career school. These grants, work-study, loans, and scholarships help make college or career school affordable. There are many types of aid, including including federal, state, regional/local, and private sources.
Check out Oregon Goes to College for a wealth of information about financial aid and more!
How do You get Financial Aid?
For many federal and state grants and scholarships, the first step is to complete the FAFSA or ORSAA during your Senior Year of High School (more information below). Other sources, especially scholarships, have varying dates and requirements - you can apply for many of them outside of your Senior Year!
Helpful Docs to get you Started
Oregon Promise Guide
Oregon Promise Guide (Spanish)
Oregon Opportunities
¡Pronto habrá versión en español!
Oportunidades de Oregón (Spanish)
Paying for College
Paying for College (Spanish)
Financial Aid Worksheet
Financial Aid Worksheet (Spanish)
FASFA/ORSAA
NOTE! FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid - NEVER pay for this service!
FASFA/ORSAA Opens OCTOBER 1, 2026
Regardless of which college or university you attend, every student should complete the FASFA or ORSAA their Senior Year of high school EVEN IF YOU ARE UNSURE OF YOUR FUTURE PLANS OR THINK YOUR FAMILY WON'T QUALIFY!
The results of the FAFSA/ORSAA are used to qualify students for Federal/State Grants and Scholarships. In addition, many scholarships require the completion of the FAFSA/ORSAA to qualify.
Watch the slides to the left to determine which one to access and learn more about how to get started with the Financial Aid Process.
To submit the FASFA/ORSAA, you will need:
- An FSA ID to sign electronically.
- Student and Parent/Guardian Social Security Number or Alien Registration Numbers (if not a U.S. citizen)
- Federal income tax returns, W-2s, and other records of money earned (Note: You may be able to transfer your federal tax return information into your FAFSA using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.)
- Bank statements and records of investments (if applicable)
- Records of untaxed income (if applicable)
FAFSA Pro-tips
Check out this helpful FAFSA Application Worksheet to get started! (English/Spanish)
Oregon Promise Grant
This grant covers up to 90-college credits at an Oregon Community College for recent graduates! Students MUST complete the grant application their SENIOR year and start college by the due date listed on the Oregon Promise website and MUST start college.
NOTE: College Courses ATTEMPTED during your time in high school (like through the Early College Program) count toward the 90-college credits covered by the Grant. See this helpful YouTube video for more information.
Scholarships
Scholarship requirements, deadlines, and amounts vary. To start your search, check out Summit's Scholarship List. Here you will find a list of commonly used Scholarship Databases, Local Scholarships, and a list of Oregon College Financial Aid offices.
QuestBridge
QuestBridge is a nonprofit that connects academically outstanding students from low-income backgrounds with admission and full four-year scholarships to 55 top colleges through the National College Match.
JUNIORS: College Prep Scholars Program
Top colleges and universities are looking for students who have excelled academically despite financial hardship, and they partner with QuestBridge to find students like YOU. If you are a high-achieving high school junior from a low-income background, the College Prep Scholars Program can equip you with knowledge, confidence, and resources to connect with the nation's most sought-after colleges.
Interested students are encourages to learn more about the College Prep Scholars Program for high school juniors. College Prep Scholars gain the support and preparation needed to apply to top colleges with an application that tells YOUR unique story. Additionally, College Prep Scholars receive various awards and opportunities, such as a full scholarship to a college summer program, $1,000 for a new laptop, campus visits, or other college prep resources, and more. More information about eligibility is available at questbridge.org.
Eligibility:
- High school juniors, regardless of citizenship, currently attending high school in the U.S., and U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents living abroad
- Earning primarily A’s in the most challenging courses offered
- Demonstrating strong writing skills and intellectual curiosity, plus resilience, integrity, and motivation to succeed
- Typically from a household earning less than $65,000 annually with minimal assets (for a household of four members)
SENIORS: College Match Program
Questbride’s 55 college partners are actively seeking students like you. Apply for free to the nation’s best colleges and be considered for early admission and a full four-year scholarship. The National College Match application gives you extra space to tell your unique story as a student who has excelled academically despite financial hardship.
If admitted to a college partner through the Match or QuestBridge Regular Decision, you will join a supportive community of over 10,000 other QuestBridge Scholars currently attending our college partners, and upon graduation, you'll be welcomed into a network of over 20,000 QuestBridge Alumni for continued support, networking, and growth opportunities.
Eligibility:
- High school seniors, regardless of citizenship, currently attending high school in the U.S. and planning to attend college the fall after graduation, and U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents living abroad
- Earning primarily A’s in the most challenging courses offered
- Demonstrating strong writing skills and intellectual curiosity, plus resilience, integrity, and motivation to succeed
- Typically from a household earning less than $65,000 annually with minimal assets (for a household of four members).